Day: February 24, 2024

What are vitamins and minerals? Vitamins and minerals are needed to make your body work properly. Vitamins come from plants and animals, while minerals originally come from the earth. Most people can get all the vitamins and minerals they need from the 5 food groups in a balanced diet. However, some groups in the community are more at risk of developing deficiencies. Vitamins are found in: fresh foods frozen foods canned foods An example is Vitamin C. It is found in many fruits. Some vitamins can be lost by cooking in water. Fresh fruit and uncooked vegetables are good sources of

Why is vitamin K important? Vitamin K is important because it helps the liver make proteins that allow your blood to clot normally, to prevent excessive bleeding. It is also important for healthy bones. Adults usually have enough vitamin K, because normal bacteria in the gut produce it. It is also in the fat of much of the food that we eat. Vitamin K gets stored in the liver, so you don’t need to eat it every day, unlike some other vitamins. See this article for important information on babies and vitamin K. What are the symptoms of vitamin K deficiency?

Why should I include vitamin E in my diet? Vitamin E is an antioxidant, which means that it can help protect cells in your body against damage caused by exposure to harmful substances such as cigarette smoke or radiation. Vitamin E also helps keep your immune system healthy, promotes good eye health and maintains healthy skin. Vitamin E may also have a role to play in maintaining heart health. Read more here about vitamin E and your health. What are the best natural sources of vitamin E? Vitamin E is found in fats and oils from animal products (meat, poultry, fish and diary foods), as well as vegetables, seeds and

Why should I include vitamin D in my diet? Vitamin D is very important for bone health. It strengthens your bones by helping you to absorb calcium from the foods you eat. It also regulates the amount of calcium in your blood and helps to keep your hormones, nervous system and immune system working well. What are the natural sources of vitamin D? There are 2 main forms of vitamin D you need to stay healthy: vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D2 is from plant sources. It is found in fortified food and some supplements. Vitamin D3 is produced

What is a vitamin D blood test? Vitamin D is important for healthy bones. Vitamin D comes in two forms: vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) Vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 need to be turned into 25-hydroxy-vitamin D to work effectively. This is done by your liver and kidneys. The vitamin D blood test measures how much 25-hydroxy-vitamin D is available in your body. Other forms of vitamin D can also be measured if needed. Why would I need this test? A vitamin D test might be part of a check-up for certain people who may not have enough vitamin D.

What is vitamin D deficiency? Vitamin D deficiency occurs when your body doesn’t get enough vitamin D for healthy functioning. More than 1 in every 3 Australian adults has mild, moderate or severe vitamin D deficiency. The Australian government publishes recommended dietary intakes (RDIs) for all vitamins. Babies, children, teenagers and adults aged 19–50 years should have 5μg (micrograms) of vitamin D per day. Adults aged 51-70 years should have 10μg of vitamin D per day. Adults aged over 70 years should have 15μg of vitamin D per day. What are the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency? Vitamin D is a fat-soluble

What is vitamin D deficiency? Vitamin D deficiency occurs when your body doesn’t get enough vitamin D for healthy functioning. More than 1 in every 3 Australian adults has mild, moderate or severe vitamin D deficiency. The Australian government publishes recommended dietary intakes (RDIs) for all vitamins. Babies, children, teenagers and adults aged 19–50 years should have 5μg (micrograms) of vitamin D per day. Adults aged 51-70 years should have 10μg of vitamin D per day. Adults aged over 70 years should have 15μg of vitamin D per day. What are the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency? Vitamin D is a fat-soluble

What is a vitamin B12 blood test? Vitamin B12 is one of the B group of vitamins. It is also known as cobalamin. It is vital for making red blood cells and for cell and tissue repair. Vitamin B12 also helps with nerve health. Vitamin B12 and folate work together to help with cell functioning. The vitamin B12 blood test measures the amount of vitamin B12 in your blood. Your folate level is usually tested at the same time. Why would I need this test? You may need this test if you have: symptoms that suggest a low level of Vitamin B12 a medical

Why should I include vitamin A in my diet? Vitamin A helps to keep your body’s cells healthy and maintain a healthy immune system. Vitamin A is considered an essential vitamin. This means that your body cannot produce it. Your body relies on a diet that includes vitamin A. Some fruits and vegetables contain provitamin-A carotenoids, including beta-carotene. These undergo a reaction in your body to form vitamin A. This conversion doesn’t happen with animal sources of vitamin A. Go here for more information about vitamin A and your health. What are the natural sources of vitamin A? Fruit and vegetables Sometimes

What is vitamin A deficiency? Vitamin A deficiency happens when your body doesn’t have enough vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiency usually results from what you do and don’t eat. However, a health condition can also cause it. Your body needs a certain amount of vitamin A to function well. Vitamin A deficiency is rare in developed countries like Australia where you can generally get fresh produce. You can get enough vitamin A by eating fruit, vegetables and health proteins. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means it gets stored in your body’s own cells. If you don’t eat vitamin

Blindness What is blindness? Blindness is the complete, or almost complete, loss of sight in your eyes. Some people who are blind can’t see anything at all. Most people who are blind have some vision, but not enough to manage day-to-day life. You are legally blind if one of the following applies to you: You can’t read a sign that’s 6 metres away, but that someone with normal vision can read from 60 metres away. Your field of vision is less than 20 degrees across. Low vision is not necessarily the same as blindness. You may have low vision if:

What is visceral body fat? Visceral body fat, also known as ‘toxic’ fat, is fat stored deep inside your body. Most fat is stored underneath the skin and is known as subcutaneous fat. This is the fat that is visible and that you can feel. The rest of the fat in the body is stored around your internal organs, including your heart, liver and intestines. This is visceral fat. Visceral fat makes chemicals and hormones that can be toxic to the body. Visceral fat produces more of these toxic substances than subcutaneous fat, so it can be more harmful to

What is pneumonia? Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. The infection is usually caused by bacteria or a virus. The infection causes inflammation (swelling) in your lungs. The air sacs in your lungs can fill up with fluid, making it harder for you to breathe. There are many types of pneumonia. One of the most common is pneumococcal pneumonia. This is caused by the bacterium streptococcus pneumoniae. Pneumonia can be a mild illness, or it can be much more serious. Pneumonia can be life-threatening, especially for: babies 12 months and under Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people people older than

What are viral haemorrhagic fevers? Viral haemorrhagic fevers are a group of rare but potentially life-threatening illnesses. They are caused by different viruses that can cause bleeding and fever. These illnesses include: dengue fever Ebola virus disease Marburg virus disease Lassa fever Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever yellow fever chikungunya infection Each of these illnesses occurs in a particular area of the world, or in several areas. Dengue fever is the only viral haemorrhagic fever known to occur in Australia. What are the symptoms of viral haemorrhagic fevers? The first symptoms to develop may include: fever headache What are viral haemorrhagic fevers? Viral

What is sildenafil (Viagra)? Sildenafil is a medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED, also called impotence). It is sometimes known by its generic name sildenafil, and sometimes known by its trade name Viagra. Other brands of the same medicine are also available. How does sildenafil work? Sildenafil works by helping the blood vessels in the penis to relax. This allows more blood to flow in and cause an erection. If you have ED, this can make it easier to get an erection. Sildenafil doesn’t cause erections on its own — sexual stimulation is still needed. Sildenafil also does not: cure erectile dysfunction (ED) increase your sexual

  Acoustic neuroma   What is acoustic neuroma? An acoustic neuroma is a benign (non-cancerous) tumour that can affect hearing and balance. What are the symptoms of acoustic neuroma? Usually, acoustic neuromas grow very slowly. This means that you may not have any symptoms in the early stages when the tumour is small. Many people with acoustic neuromas notice some hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Usually only one ear is affected, but both ears can be involved if the person has a rare genetic disease called neurofibromatosis type 2. Neurofibromatosis is a genetic condition characterised by the growth of benign tumours. Whether or not there

What is vertigo? Vertigo is a specific type of dizziness. If you have vertigo, you may feel like the world is spinning around you. You feel unbalanced or that you are swaying or moving when you are still. It might get worse when you change position quickly, such as turning over in bed or moving your head to look up. Vertigo can be distressing or worrying. It doesn’t always mean that you have a serious medical problem. What symptoms are related to vertigo? If you have vertigo, it may feel like: you are spinning you are falling the world is spinning

How to treat warts What are warts? Warts are small, harmless lumps of skin caused by a virus known as the human papillomavirus (HPV). A wart will usually have a flesh coloured appearance and the skin forming the wart will be rough. Warts are common in school-aged children but can happen at any age. What are the symptoms of warts? The appearance of a wart depends on its type. There are several different types of warts: Common warts (verruca vulgaris) — these are small, raised areas of skin, usually round, with a rough surface of skin often looking like the top